James e



No. 623,574. l Pa'mted'Apr. 25, |899. .1. E. SMITH & .1. .1. THOMAS.

GUARD RAIL CLAMP.

(No Model.)-

*WWW//Mmmmmmmmmmwmw .g Y .m

Unirse Sterns ArnNr @trier/.a

JAMES E. SMITH AND JOHN J.Y THOMAS, OF TALII'IINA, INDIAN TERRITORY.

GUARD-RAIL CLAMP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 623,574, dated April 25, 1899.

Application filed November 15,1898. Serial No. 696,545. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that we,-JAMES E. SMITH and JOHN J. 'l`HO.\IAs,citizens of the United States, residing` at Talihina, in the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, have invented a new and useful Guard-Rail Clamp, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in guard-rail clamps.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of guard-rail clamps and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device capable of securely holding a guard-rail in proper position 'and of preventing it. from turning over or increasing the distance between it'and the main rail and adapted to dispense with spikes and ,braces usually employed on guard-rails.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed outin the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a guard-rail clamp constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail perspective views of the sections of the clamp, showing their inner interlocking ends.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding partsin all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a main section constructed of suitable metal, designed to be arranged beneath a main rail and consisting of a substantially rectangular body portion provided at its outer end with a transverse frame 2 for engaging one of the bottom flanges of the main rail.

The guard-clamp is designed to be arranged in a recess of a cross-tie, and the flange 2, which is substantially L-shaped in cross-section, conforms to the configuration of the bottom llange of the main rail, which is sup-- ported upon the upper face of the body portion of the main section l.

The outer end of the main section is provided with a horizontal attachment-plate 3, extending from the bottom of the section and Y formed integral therewith and provided with spike-receiving openings 4, which are preferably arranged at the center and sides of the attach men t-plate, but which may be disposed in any other suitable manner.

The main section of the clamp is provided at opposite sides with longitudinal openings 5, receiving bolts 6, which connect an adjustable guard-rail-engaging `section 7 with the main section. The guard-rail-engaging section, which is provided with bolt-receiving openings S, has a'transverse flange 9 at its outer end, similar to the liange 2 of the main section and adapted to engage the adjacent bottom flange of a guard-rail. The openings S are adapted to register with the openings 5 of the main section, and the latteris provided at its inner end with a fiange or jaw l0, disposed at the central portion of the main section between the longitudinal bolts and adapted to engage the bottom flange of a guardrail and space the latter from the main rail. The central flange or jaw 10, which is adapted to engage the guard-rail, is located between the flanges or jaws 2 and 9, and the guardrail is firmly clamped in its proper position by the jaws and l0, which are held in positive engagement with the guard-rail by nuts 1l, arranged in pairs on the threaded ends of the bolts at theinner end of the device. The heads of the bolts fit against the attachmentflange 3, `and are thereby prevented from turning in the openings of the clamp, and the threaded ends of the bolts are provided with slots receiving split or spring keys 12, which form effective locks and preventthe nuts from becoming lost.

The main section is provided at opposite sides of its inner end with tongues 14, adapted to telescope into recesses l5 of the adjustable section of the clamp, whereby the two sections are interlocked and held against lateral or vertical movement on each other. The tongues 14, which are substantially L-shaped in cross-section, are disposed at'the outer sides and tops of the connecting-bolts, and the re IOC) it possesses great strength and durability, anditis capable of iirmlysupporting a guardrail in proper position and of preventing the same from turning over or increasing the distance between it and the main rail when trains are passing over it. It dispenses with spikes and braces and keeps the guard-rail from increasing the distance between it and the main rail by wear, and thereby prevents the ianges of passing wheels from cutting the point of the frog. The frog is thus protected and made to last longer, and the device prevents the jerk of passing trains so noticeable when the guard-rail is too far from the main rail, and it saves time and expense to companies and obviates the necessity of section-men spiking and resetting guard-rails every few days, especially where switch-ties are old and becoming rotten. lt enables short guard-rails to be safelyemployed, and it is capable of supporting a six-foot guard-rail and ot preventing the same from spreading when a frog is on a main-line curve. It lessens the danger of derailment of trains, adds to their safety, and decreases the expenses of railroad companies.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyot the advantages et this invention.

\Vhat we claim is- 1. A guard-rail clamp comprising a main section adapted to receive a main rail, provided at its outer end with a jaw for engaging the same and having a jaw at its inner end to engage a guard-rail, an adjustable section provided with a jaw arranged to engage the guard-rail and located opposite and coperating with the jawof the inner end of the main section, and separate longitudinal fastening devices located beneath the rails and extending entirely through the sections of the clamp and connecting the same, substantially as described.

2. A guard-rail clamp comprising a main section provided at its outer end with a jaw or flange t0 engage a main rail and having at its inner end a jaw or ange to engage aguardrail, said main section being also provided at its inner end with opposite tongues, and an adjustable section provided with a flange or jaw adapted to engage a guard-rail and located opposite and coperatin g with the flange or jaw at the inner end ot' the main section, said adjustable section being provided atopposite sides of its inner end with recesses ter-` minating short of its inner end and receiving the tongues of the lnain section, substantially as described.

3. A guard-rail clamp comprising a main section having longitudinal openings and provided at its inner end with opposite tongues, L-shaped in cross-section and disposed at the sides and tops of said openings, an adjustable section having longitudinal openings and provided with opposite recesses receiving the tongues of the main section, said adjustable section being provided with a central solid portion located between the said tongues, and longitudinal fastening devices passing through the said openings and connecting the sections, substantially as described.

t. A guard-rail clamp comprising a main section having longitudinal openings, provided at its outer end with an attachmentplate, and having at its inner end L-shaped tongues, an adjustable section provided with longitudinal openings and having opposite recesses to receive said tongues, bolts passingthrough said openings, connecting the sections and having their heads fitting against the attachment-plate of the main section, railengagiug tianges or jaws mounted on the sections, and nuts mounted on the threaded ends of the bolts, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto allixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. SMITH. JOHN J. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

H. OBRYAN, D. THOMAS. 

